MusicWatch Monthly: Back to comfort and joy
December 5, 2024
In praise of Christmas music, from Oregon Symphony to Portland Revels.
In praise of Christmas music, from Oregon Symphony to Portland Revels.
A sprawling and epic yet nevertheless inherently incomplete attempt to encapsulate Oregon music via physical media available on the music industry’s greatest foe.
The Oregonian composer discusses her musical journey, her relationship with Columbia Riverkeeper, and the background and creation of her latest album, “Thrice Burned Forest.”
“The Raven,” Witch Mountain, Shaw vs. Shaw, 45th Parallel’s Angel, Hannah Penn’s “Shakespeare Songs,” Ginette DePreist at Oregon Historical Society, and plenty more.
The three-voice mini-opera, set for any voice type, receives its premiere at Renegade Opera’s November Artists in Conversation.
In which a music journalist and Akiho devotee returns to live music after an extended absence.
Creepy bands and tribute bands, Saloon Ensemble’s “Nitemare B4 Xmas” returns, and Third Angle does Glass’ “Dracula.”
The freelance composer has traveled from Wisconsin to Indiana to Texas to Oregon, bringing her Edgar Allen Poe operetta “THUMP” all the way to Raven’s Manor in Downtown Portland.
In which we consider the possibility that “without music, life would be a mistake.”
Choice selections, from Beaverton to Rogue Valley to Newport and everything in between.
Choice selections, from Oregon Symphony to Portland Baroque Orchestra and everything in between.
The composer and steel pan player discusses his new cello concerto, to be performed in October by Jeffrey Zeigler and OSO; recent recordings with Ian Rosenbaum and Imani Winds; his roots as a second-generation Japanese-American; and the drive to keep moving forward.
The composer and artistic director discusses the roots and reasons of the new music organization’s organically audacious upcoming season.
A rant; a proposal; a consideration of the latest from Deena T. Grossman and E. Ellison.
45th Parallel Universe’s Garden Parties, Renegade Opera’s “Batman,” Deena T. Grossman’s new album, Fear No Music’s Oregonic season, and orchestras all over the state.
Also: Fear No Music throws down the gauntlet, announcing an all-local composer season to come.
Tips for staying cool during yet another apocalyptic heat wave while enjoying the best in Oregon music.
The end of June heralds the tenth iteration of DUO Stephanie & Saar’s modernist microfest, the 54th year of the much-loved CMNW, and another relatively Bach-light but nevertheless lovely OBF.
Resonance Ensemble celebrates fifteen years, In Medio Choir sings Randall Thompson and Judy A. Rose, Oregon Symphony plays Beethoven’s Tenth, Britt Music & Arts Festival warms up, and In A Landscape gets rolling.
The 1905 continues to reopen; Eugene Symphony performs “Star Wars” and Mahler’s “Resurrection Symphony”; Major Tomboys do the Lazarus trick.
Also: Freddie Vilches Meneses with Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Nancy Ives and Giancarlo Castro D’Addona and Sylvan Talavera with Portland Youth Philharmonic. Also also: bands, bands, bands, and more bands.
The big groups play the big names, from Beethoven to Dvořák to Tchaikovsky to Bach. Also: Renegade Opera at the Hampton Center, Kronos Quartet and Imani Winds at The Reser.
The duo discusses how they met, where the name comes from, their recent deal with Nonesuch Records, the “Voice Memo Roulette” game, and a method for using Brahms chords.
Percussion concerts with 45th Parallel and Third Angle; goth and punk and whathaveyou at Mississippi Studios; CMNW’s mini-festival of piano trios; neurologist Larry Sherman with Portland Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Brown Quartet plays “Blackstar.”
The Pulitzer-winning composer and Portland singer-songwriter’s new “electronic cinematic pop duo” Ringdown prepares for festival season with a concert in Northeast Portland; MYS performs two more Oregon composers and also Beethoven.
In which we discuss the virtues of imperfection and risk-taking with the clarinetist, bar-owner, and Opera Theater Oregon executive director.
The choral ensemble starts their semester-long residency at Linfield University in McMinnville. The recently shuttered jazz club has changed management and is making plans to reopen.
An in-depth conversation with the pianist and singer, pairing up for their ‘Cycles of Life’ concerts Feb. 10 & 11 in West Linn.
The pronk quartet returns to live music, Oregon Symphony celebrates the “Rhapsody” centennial, Grammy-winner Cann performans a recital of Black women composers for PPI, Eugene Concert Choir releases their “Black is Beautiful” CD, and the Albina Community Archive goes live.
The program of music for solo flute and electronics features music by Keiko Devaux, Alison Loggins-Hull, Nicholas Denton Protsack, Chloe Upshaw, and Oregonians Elaina Rae Stuppler and Daniel Vega.
The new year takes flight with a festival of Portland bands, a local pop star, and a bevy of chittering contemporary classical music.
A longitudinal study of everything we loved (and a few things we didn’t) in Oregon music this year, and last year, world without end, amen.
Following jazz around Oregon, from Jack London Revue to Jo Bar & Rotisserie and beyond.
Doom metal in Eugene, orchestras young and old, all the Strauss you can handle, Beethoven’s Glorious Ninth, New Year’s Eve parties, a burlesque extravaganza, and more.
Punk, metal, jazz, and the Oregon School of Composition–just in time for the last Fee Free Friday of 2023.
YOB is love; Eugene versus Corvallis; Renegade Opera and PSU Opera; twangy Indian music; and the one true “Messiah.”
Youth orchestras, Oregon poets, spiritual moments, and more.
Oregon Symphony will perform Akiho’s latest this weekend, alongside Dvořák’s Othello Overture and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.”
!mindparade, Saloli, Via Mardot, and all the synths; Yawa with her voice and her technologies; a tribute to Svoboda; Delgani plays Golijov and Reza Vali; an All Hallows’ Evening.
Xhurch and regular church; so many difficult Friday the 13th shows; LISTENing to Resonance; Prefontaine again; a new Machado Mijiga album.
The singer-songwriter-guitarist-bandleader discusses her band’s new album “Ofrenda.”
Green shows in Ashland, Indian music in Portland, Gustav vs. Gabe, queer and femme.
Working hard with Renegade Opera, Jim Pepper Native Arts Festival, Cascadia Composers, Lose Yr Mind Fest, Ural Thomas, Amenta “Yawa” Abioto, and more.
A conversation with the Nasalrod bassist and DIY label chief.
The new-music flutist joins an extensive roster of musicians at four concerts on the coast.
Remembering David Bernstein, Tomáš Svoboda, and Metallica. A vinyl celebration of Roselit Bone, Spoon Benders, The Shivas, and Møtrick. Joe Kye sings about grandma.
In which we consider the meanings of music with a Fresh Air Fest, a Columbia Riverkeeper composer-in-residence, a pair of rowdy rock concerts, and a sampling of Chamber Music Northwest.
Hurtling into Fourth of July weekend and the height of summer with Waterfront Blues Festival, Chamber Music Northwest, Oregon Bach Festival, and The Thesis.
Festivals large and small with Resonance Ensemble, Makrokosmos Project, New Music Gathering, Chamber Music Northwest, Brittfest, and more.
In which the Merry Month promises premieres, percussions, a plethora of Bandcamp Friday pickings, and plenty more.
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